The Beast Within
by DeathsDeliveryService
Summary: The beast wants to be set free. Will you allow it? AU, Slash
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Notes: _Well, let's try this again. I did post another story, called 'A night of questions and magic', but I guess it wasn't interesting enough for people, so I deleted it. I will try this story-writing gimmick again with a longer, hopefully better story that can draw people in.

_Warnings: _Drama, Violence, Language, Slash, AU

_Disclaimer: _I do not own anything Power Rangers and have written this story for fun

_Summary: _Some people were born different. While some lived normal lives and never embraced their secret, others accepted it and lived double-lives. What happens when the animal is set free and the ones you care about just don't understand?

"_What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to men. All things are connected." -Chief Seattle, Suquamish Tribe_

The day seemed to start out normally for the Samurai Rangers. They had fallen into their usual morning routine, which consisted of breakfast followed by a bout of defense and sword practice. The current trainings pairs were: Jayden and Mia, Kevin and Emily, and Mike and Antonio. All seemed to be going well, but one Rangers was having a rough time keeping things simple.

Lately, Antonio had been having trouble controlling his anger. He seemed more on edge, like an animal that's been cornered and is ready to strike. In a way, that was true. You see, some people out there were born as shape shifters. This meaning those individuals had the ability to shift into an animal, usually larger in size than ones you'd find in the wild. While it normally didn't cause too much problems if the shifter is able to regularly morph into his animal form, if a person is unable to do so then their animal instincts tend to want to take over and the person becomes for on edge and primal, which can be a dangerous thing.

"Hey! Ease up, Antonio! It's only practice!" Mike shouted to his gold teammate as he was knocked back, hard, and landed flat on his back. A groan of pain escaped him as he rolled over while touching his lower back in his hands.

Mike's shouts had caused the other Rangers to stop their training and look over in concern. They saw the green Ranger on his back, writhing in pain, while the gold Ranger stood over him with a wild look in his eyes. They could all see that Antonio was breathing hard, as if trying to stop himself from just lunging forward and attacking. They had never seen anything like this happen before, and it scared them.

Upon hearing Mike's pained groans, and the other Rangers' gasps in surprise, Antonio finally snapped out of his stupor and took in the scene around him. A look of regret and pure horror crossed his face as he dropped his weapon and took a few shaky steps back. "I-I'm sorry…." He muttered breathlessly, his body beginning to shake as fear began to creep up his spine. "I-It was an accident…" He said before turning and running away from the Shiba House. He had to get away, had to get himself under control.

"Antonio!" Emily cried out as she watched her friend run out the gate. She wanted to go after him, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. The yellow Rangers turned and saw Jayden looking at her and shaking his head.

"I'll go after him. You stay here and tend to Mike." Jayden said as he gestured to the green Rangers, who was now standing thanks to Kevin and Mia supporting him. The red Ranger gave his teammates one last look before to took off after the runaway gold Ranger.

"Does any know know…what just happened?" Kevin questioned, looking around with a confused expression. He saw the other Rangers shaking their heads, while he noticed their Mentor standing in the doorway, a sad and understanding look crossing his face. What did he know that the others didn't?

Jayden knew exactly where Antonio would be. He always went there when he was troubled. He was not disappointed when he came to a small lake in the middle of the outlying forest. Tentatively, Jayden stepped into the clearing and towards the figure currently looking at his reflection in the shimmering water. "Antonio?"

Hearing his name, although no doubt having heard the red Ranger approach him, Antonio slowly raised his head and turned to look at Jayden with a sad expression. Although, the face was not that of a human, but of a wolf. Antonio was a shifter, and nobody but Jayden and Mentor knew about it. It happened by accident, and Antonio had been so afraid that he would be hated, but he wasn't. He was accepted by them, but the same may not be said to the others if they ever found out.

Slowly, Antonio rose to his paws and slowly made his way over to Jayden. His pure black fur swayed with his movements, and his liquid gold eyes filled with anxiety and anguish. Pointed ears were pinned back to his skull, and a long, fluffy tail was tucked low between his legs, showcasing how he felt for nearly attacking Mike like he did. A low whine escaped his throat as he reached Jayden and pressed his head into the red Ranger's chest. 'I didn't mean for it to happen.' Antonio said through a telepathic link with his mate. This incident was tearing him apart.

Jayden placed his hands on the top of Antonio's head, lightly stroking the long, fluffy fur and scratching behind his ears. "I know you didn't mean it, Antonio. But, you have to control yourself better. You know what'll happen if you let you instincts take over…" The warning was left hanging, because they both knew what would happen if Antonio allowed his wolf instincts to take over. He would be all animal, wild and fierce, and it would be near impossible to bring him back to human level.

'I just feel so bad. I hope Mike can forgive me.' Antonio mused, removing his head from Jayden's chest and looking at him with a puppy-dog look.

"I'm sure he will, Antonio." Jayden tried to reassure his wolf, bringing his hand up to cup the side of Antonio's cheek. He lightly scratched that area before placing a light kiss to the tip of Antonio's nose. "Just, be more careful next time. Now let's get back. I'm sure everyone is worried." He saw Antonio nod his head and slowly shift back into his human form. The pair embraced for a few moments before turning and heading back to the Shiba House.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Notes_: Sorry for the delay in my story. I was without internet for a few days, and therefore unable to write. But, I have internet again, so I am able to update. Yay! Reviews are loved! By the way, throughout this story, I will be bringing in other Rangers from the past.

_Warnings_: Drama, Violence, Language, Slash, AU

_Disclaimer_: I do not own anything Power Rangers and have written this story for fun

_Summary_: Some people were born different. While some lived normal lives and never embraced their secret, others accepted it and lived double-lives. What happens when the animal is set free and the ones you care about just don't understand?

As Jayden and Antonio approached the Shiba House, the feeling of remorse washed over Antonio like a tidal wave and he stopped dead in his tracks. He trembled a bit with nerves, wondering if he would be forgiven for his atrocious behavior during training.

"Hey. It's okay." Jayden said to Antonio when he noticed the other male had stopped. "I'm sure they'll forgive you." He tried to reassure, giving Antonio a small smile.

"But what if they don't? What if they hate me for life now?" Antonio exclaimed, practically hyperventilating in panic.

"Antonio…"

"What if they don't want me on the team anymore? Oh, no. What will I do?"

"Antonio…"

"If I can't be the gold Ranger anymore, then what's my life worth living for? What's the point in staying he-"

"ANTONIO!" Jayden yelled, effectively stopping the gold Ranger's panic. He inhaled deeply to calm himself, then exhaled as he looked at Antonio with a calm expression. "Antonio. Stop panicking. Think positive." He reached out and grasped the gold Ranger's hand lightly, reassuring him that things would be okay.

Antonio inhaled deeply, then exhaled as he nodded his head. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Think positive." He flashed a smile at Jayden and lightly squeezed his hands. "I'm okay now. Let's go." He said as he began to lead Jayden back to the Shiba House.

The two Rangers entered the Shiba House and immediately heard the voices of their fellow Rangers. Antonio was still a little nervous as he and Jayden made their way into the living room, where the other Rangers and Mentor Ji were sitting. Five pairs of eyes turned and landed on the pair as the air suddenly became thick with tension. Nobody knew what to say next.

It was Antonio who spoke up first. "Mike, I'm really sorry for the way I acted this morning. I don't know what came over me, and I never meant to hurt you like I did." He said, his voice laced with remorse and regret as he cast his deep brown eyes to the floor. He couldn't bear to see the reactions his apology would bring for fear of them being bad.

"Antonio," Mike began, the tone in his voice causing the gold Ranger to look up. "Look dude, it's alright. Things happen. It wasn't your fault." He said, flashing his trademark grin and holding his fist out for Antonio to bump. It was his way of showing that he forgave him. Plus, Mike was never one to hold a grudge.

A small smile crept its way to Antonio's face as he returned the fist bump, happy that he was forgiven.

"Yeah, Antonio." Emily spoke up, moving to the gold Ranger's side and touching his shoulder. "We all get a little carried away sometimes. It's no big deal." She told him, her voice cheery and full of energy. Just like Emily.

Suddenly, the Gap Sensor went off, and everyone went into Ranger mode. Mentor crossed the room and pulled up the city map in the middle of the coffee table. "It looks like the Nighlock is downtown, near the courthouse." He told the Rangers, who all nodded to themselves and headed out the back door.

Antonio suddenly stopped as he gripped his head and closed his eyes in obvious pain. Mentor and Jayden went to his side, and saw the deep brown eyes of the gold Ranger's flash liquid gold before returning to their original color. A very faint growl erupted from his throat after that, a sign that the wolf wanted to be loose. Thankfully, the others weren't around to hear it.

"Antonio, you must stay in control." Mentor's voice washed over him, entering his mind and managing to keep the beast at bay. "You cannot let the wolf take over."

"You're right. You're right." Antonio said as he inhaled, then exhaled. He looked at the two men and nodded his head. "I'm alright now. The beast is under control" 'But for how long?' He asked himself as he saw the other exchange a look before nodding to each other.

"Hey," Jayden said, gaining Antonio's attention. "After we defeat the Nighlock, why don't you go and be with the others. At least for a little while. They'll help you with the wolf." He suggested, knowing the other shifters can help keep the wolf under control because out of all the other shifters, the wolf was the most volatile if allowed to take over. Although Antonio was able to keep control most of the time, sometimes the wolf manages to overpower him and gets loose.

The gold Rangers throught about it for a few seconds, then nodded his head in agreement. "Alright. Sounds like a plan." He said resolutely. He needed to be around other shifters, needed to be the wolf for awhile. He knew being with the other shifters and being able to become the wolf would help keep it under control.

Jayden seemed satisfied with Antonio's answer, and the two Rangers raced out the back door, following their teammates into battle.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Notes_: Alright! Here is the third chapter of my story. Thanks to everyone who reeiwed this story. It makes me feel awesome!

_Warnings_: Drama, Violence, Language, Slash, AU

_Disclaimer_: I do not own anything Power Rangers and have written this story for fun

_Summary_: Some people were born different. While some lived normal lives and never embraced their secret, others accepted it and lived double-lives. What happens when the animal is set free and the ones you care about just don't understand?

As the Rangers arrived on the scene, they could see the destruction the Nighlock caused in such a small amount of time. Clearly, this Nighlock was tough and meant business. However, he seemed oblivious to the Rangers' presence and continued on with his destruction.

"Hey! Nighlock!" Mike shouted, gaining his attention.

"Finally! I was wondering when you Rangers would show up!" The Nighlock said, his voice deep and gravelly. He was clearly overjoyed to see the group, possibly because he thought he had a plan to beat them.

"Your destruction ends here, Nighlock!" Jayden said authoritatively as he and the other Rangers pulled out their morphers and readied for battle. "Red Ranger, ready." Jayden said, placing his Spin Sword on his shoulder.

"Blue Ranger, ready." Kevin said next, turning his spin Sword into his Hydro Bow and placing it at the ready.

"Pink Ranger, ready." Mia said after, her Sky Fan placed behind her back.

"Green Ranger, ready." Mike said cockily, his Forest Spear pointed straight at the Nighlock.

"Yellow Ranger, ready." Emily shouted, her Earth Slicer held across her chest as if waiting to be thrown.

"Gold Ranger, ready." Antonio said lastly, holding the Light Zord and the sword that came with it.

"Enough of this! Moogers!" The Nighlock shouted as a swarm of Moogers appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "Get those Rangers!" He commanded as the Mooger army charged forward.

The Rangers charged forward, meeting the Moogers in the middle. Weapons clashed against each other as both Mooger and Ranger were knocked to the ground. Although the Rangers gained the upper hand, the Mooger army seemed never-ending. Wave after wave of Moogers appeared, and the Rangers quickly found themselves outmatched and outnumbered.

"They just keep coming!" Emily grunted out as she managed to bring down a couple Moogers before more came and took their place. "There's no end to them!" She grunted again as a Mooger knocked her to the ground. She managed to kick him in the stomach before jumping up and slicing him down.

The Nighlock was growing bored, and decided to put an end to this fighting. He brought his hands together and clapped them together hard, which resulted in a supersonic sound wave to erupt forward and slam right into the Mooger and Ranger battle. All parties fell to the ground, gripping their heads as the sounds reverberated in their ears. The Rangers recovered quickly, however, and staggered to their feet.

"Ha ha ha! With my supersonic sound waves, you Rangers won't be able to get close to me! I'll just knock you back down!" The Nighlock said, clearly over-confident in his ability to be able to defeat the Rangers.

"We'll just see about that!" Antonio chided as he charged forward with the Light Zord, utilizing his Symbol Power to make him lightning fast. He managed to hit the Nighlock a couple of times before being blasted back with a sonic wave when he came in front of the Nighlock's hands. The force caused Antonio to de-morph and slam against the ground. The sound echoed in his head, which wasn't a good thing.

The other Rangers charged forward, each taking slashes at the Nighlock with their Spin Swords, but Antonio barely noticed them. His vision was blurring and muffled shouts were echoing in his ears. His breathing became more labored as his eyes continuously flashed liquid gold before returning to dark brown. He was fighting to keep the wolf at bay. He wasn't close to losing his human instincts, in fact he was in good control of them, but the wolf wanted to be set loose to take down the threat that was harming his pack.

When the muffled groans of the Rangers reached his ears, tuning in especially on Jayden, Antonio snapped. He charged forward with an animalistic growl, becoming a black blur as he bit down on one of the Nighlock's arms. He shook his head savagely, tossing the Nighlock around like he was a rag doll. He was hit by a supersinic sound wave, but it didn't seem to affect him too much this time. He charged forward again, biting down on the same arm and throwing the nigh lock to the side once more.

The Nighlock staggered to his feet and glared at the black wolf. "You're lucky I'm drying out, Rangers, or I would take you all down!" He said as he disappeared into a nearby Gap and headed back to the Netherworld.

Breathing hard, Antonio inhaled deeply, then exhaled as he shook his whole body to rid himself of the tension that had built up during the fight and transformation. It wasn't until he heard shocked gasps that he remembered who was here, and what they had just saw. Kevin, Mike, Mia and Emily had just witnessed the very same thing Antonio wanted to keep from them.

Slowly, Antonio turned and looked at the five Rangers with a piercing gaze. All but one showed mixed emotions of shock, disbelief, betrayal, anger, disgust and judgment. Nothing was said and no movements were made. Everything was at a standstill as minds raced and thoughts were contemplated. A deep sigh escaped Antonio as he reigned himself for what was to come.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Notes_: Hey, everyone! Sorry for the delay in chapters. I've been without internet for a while and just got it back. Hopefully I can be forgiven.

_Warnings_: Drama, Violence, Language, Slash, AU

_Disclaimer_: I do not own anything Power Rangers and have written this story for fun

_Summary_: Some people were born different. While some lived normal lives and never embraced their secret, others accepted it and lived double-lives. What happens when the animal is set free and the ones you care about just don't understand?

The tension was so thick you could slice clean through it with a Spin Sword.

Antonio stood still as a statue, with the only movements being his breathing and the occasional blinking of his liquid golden eyes. He studied each Ranger carefully, starting with Emily. He took in the look of fear that was plastered to her face as she moved to slightly hide herself behind Mike, as if afraid Antonio would charge at her. Said green Ranger had his mouth agape, clearly in shock. Mia was reacting the same was as Emily, moving to seek protection behind Kevin, while the blue Ranger held a look full of betrayal and anger. The only passive one was Jayden, for the red Ranger had known all along of Antonio's secret. The only looks he saw were understanding, pity and sadness.

"I knew it! I knew he could never be trusted!" Kevin suddenly shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the gold Ranger. "He's been keeping a secret from us all the time! He's been lying to us!" He turned his accusing eyes to Jayden. "You knew about this, and you didn't tell us? You knew Antonio was a monster, and you kept it to yourself! What kind of leader are you?"

As soon as those words left Kevin's mouth, Antonio let out a low growl and bared his teeth at the blue Ranger. He didn't take kindly to anyone talking to Jayden like that, and slowly moved in front of Jayden, using his large body as a shield in case Kevin decided to charge at his mate. He got the desired reaction as he watched Kevin take a couple steps back from Jayden. He was clearly saying 'You insult my mate again, I will rip you apart'.

Jayden knew Kevin didn't mean those words, that he was just upset and in shock. But, he knew how Antonio was struggling to keep his rage in check, so he needed to calm him down before he acted irrationally. He lifted his left hand and placed it behind Antonio's head, lightly scratching between he ears. The affect was instant. The gold Ranger seemed to calm and lean into the touch as he felt a calm wave wash over his body.

The other Rangers watched in awe as Jayden was able to calm Antonio down. But, it still didn't make the situation any better. It was Mike who spoke up next. "So, what do we do now? I mean, I get now why Antonio went a little harsh on me before, but what are we supposed to do now?"

"Well, obviously he can't come back with us!" Kevin answered, glaring at Antonio. "Who knows what will happen? He could attack us all while we sleep!"

Emily let out a gasp when she heard Kevin say that. Antonio was a close friend and she normally would have stood up for him. But, right now, fear had taken a hold of her. "H-He's right. He can't come back." She said, keeping her gaze locked on the gold Ranger.

Mike and Mia didn't say anything, but the expressions on their faces were evident. They seemed to agree with Emily and Kevin about Antonio not coming back.

Jayden had heard enough. He moved out from behind Antonio to stand in front of him. "No." He said, his voice stern and authoritative. "He may be a wolf, but he is also a Ranger. He is still one of us and I will not send him away just because you guys see him as a monster!" He was beyond mad, but he knew that his word was law. He was, after all, their Shogun and they had to obey his orders no matter what.

/Wait, Jayden/. Antonio said to him through their mental bond, stepping up to stand next to the red Ranger. /Maybe I should leave, even if only until they calm down/. He glanced back at the four Rangers before turning back to Jayden. /I don't want to cause any more tension than I already have/.

"Antonio, no. You don't have to leave." Jayden responded, speaking a loud which only caused confusion between the other Rangers.

/It'll be okay. I want to. At least, for a little while/. Antonio replied, his face showing that he had made up his mind.

Jayden seemed to think about it for a minute before he sighed heavily. "Alright. Antonio. But don't go too far away. We'll get this sorted out, and have you back home in no time." He said, giving Antonio a small smile.

Antonio nodded his head and moved to place his head on Jayden's shoulder, a wolf version of a hug. He wagged his tail softly when he felt Jayden return the hug by wrapping his arms around Antonio's neck and threading his fingers through his black fur. Antonio then stepped back and, with one last glance at Kevin, Mia, Mike and Emily Antonio turned and raced off, jumping over object and moving at an incredibly speed.

Jayden watched him leave before he turned and faced the rest of his team. "We're going home. And we are going to discuss this." He told them in a cold and stern voice as he breezed past them and headed back towards the Shiba House. The other four Rangers all exchanged worried glances before following their leader.

Meanwhile, in the Netherworld, the Nighlock that had been attacked by Antonio had just finished re-hydrating in the Sanzu River and made his way back on board Master Xandred's junk. "Ugh! Those Rangers are pests! I would have beaten them if it wasn't for the gold one." He complained and groaned, which quickly got on the Master's nerves.

"Stop your whining! You're giving me a headache!" Master Xandred growled out as he drank down more of his medicine. He hated this, he hated everyone. Always with their complaints, it was a wonder the Master didn't just off himself to be free from all this.

"Now wait a moment, Master." The sophisticated voice of Serrator rang out as he stepped out from the corner of the junk. "This new information might just be useful to us." He said, chuckling a bit as he approached the Nighlock. "Tell me, what was it about the gold Ranger that has you so upset?" He asked, genuinely interested.

"Well, one minute the gold Ranger was a human, and the next….he turned into a giant black wolf!" The Nighlock exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air to signal how big it was.

"A wolf, you say?" Serrator repeated, a low chuckle escaping him as a plan already began to emerge in his mind.

"Ooh, Aah, Ooh. I've read about that." Octoroo chimed in, waddling over to where his books were and picking one up. He turned the pages rapidly until he came upon a passage. "It says here that there are a group of humans on Earth that have the ability to shift into animals larger than what would normally appear." He said, reading over the text. "They don't usually have too much control over it, and can become unpredictable in their behaviors."

"And how is this information useful to us?" Master Xandred questioned, looking to Octoroo in anger.

"We may be able to use this to our advantage." Serrator said, trying to calm Master Xandred. "I have a plan, and if I'm right…it will help us eliminate those Rangers once and for all." He said, chuckling to himself as he slowly exited the junk.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Notes: _Sorry it has taken me so long to update this story. I have been dealing with A LOT of different issues and haven't been able to have much time to myself. Luckily, things are better, so I thank you all for your patience.

_Warnings: _Drama, Violence, Language, Slash, AU

_Disclaimer: _I do not own anything Power Rangers and have written this story for fun

_Summary: _Some people were born different. While some lived normal lives and never embraced their secret, others accepted it and lived double-lives. What happens when the animal is set free and the ones you care about just don't understand?

Mentor Ji was pacing around the living room of the Shiba house, wondering if the Rangers were alright. They had been gone too long, even for them, and the map in the middle of the coffee table had indicated that the Nighlock had gone back to the Netherworld. He only hoped they weren't too badly injured.

The front door suddenly slammed open, and Ji turned around in time to see Jayden storm in with an angry expression on his face. He was followed by Mia, Mike, Kevin and Emily, all of whom had confused and slightly horrified expressions on their faces. Obviously something had happened, but what? And weren't they missing a Ranger? This wasn't good…

"Where's Antonio?" Ji questioned the Rangers, a concerned look crossing his face.

It was Kevin who spoke first. "He's gone! He turned into this giant….WOLF! And ran away!" He was obviously still shaken up over this.

Ji turned to look at Jayden, and seeing the expression on the Red Ranger's face he knew Antonio's secret had been found sighed deeply and moved towards Jayden, maneuvering him to sit down. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Jayden inhaled, then exhaled deeply. "I'll be fine. But they," He paused, pointing to the four remaining Rangers. "all jumped to conclusions about Antonio and drove him away." He said accusingly.

"But, he would have attacked us! We were trying to save our lives!" Kevin, not surprisingly, spoke up for everyone else.

"No, he wouldn't have!" Jayden said angrily, jumping to his feet to challenge Kevin. "Antonio would never hurt any of us! You didn't even give him a chance to explain! You just immediately jump to the worst case scenario and drove him away!" By this time, Jayden was shaking with pent up anger and emotion as unshed tears formed in his eyes.

As Ji guided Jayden to sit back down, he turned to look at the other four Rangers. "I think it's time you were told the truth." He said, gesturing for all of them to sit down. As the did, he moved to stand in the middle of the group, and began to tell a story.

"Believe it or not, there are some people in this world who are born…different. They are born as shifters, which means they are able to take on the form of a specific animal. The animal is pre-determined for them, and they have no control over it." He paused, allowing the Rangers to absorb this information before continuing. "This has been going on for thousands of years, and the shifters have been living in harmony with normal humans ever since then. This is because the shifters have control over their animal sides, and most humans go one not knowing there are shifters living among them." He stopped there, allowing the Rangers to tale in and process this new information.

"But, if they have control, why did Antonio go crazy when we were sparring?" Mike asked.

"If a shifter doesn't have the opportunity to transform into their animal form for extended periods of time, then their animal instincts can begin to take over. This can make the shifter lash out and become more animal like until they can properly transform and work the instinct out of their system." Ji explained. "Antonio probably hadn't been able to become a wolf for quite some time, and this caused his wolf instincts to start to override his mind."

The Rangers all sat in silence at this point, trying to absorb all the new information they were just given. It was Emily who spoke up next. "Hang on. If humans don't know that shifters are among them, how did Jayden find out?" She asked, looking to the Red Ranger.

Jayden sighed deeply before responding. "It was a few weeks ago. I noticed Antonio was taking a longer time to come back from fishing, so I went to go and look for him to make sure he was okay. I found his fishing equipment, but sitting where Antonio usually did was a wolf. At first, I was scared and tried to attack, thinking the wolf had harmed Antonio. Right as I was about to strike, the wolf turned to look at me….and I knew." He paused, looking up to everyone before continuing. "When our eyes met, there was a connection. I can't explain it. Then I heard Antonio speaking in my mind, and he told me that when a shifters takes a mate, they form a telepathic bond and are able to communicate that way. And Antonio and I had already been together, so it just seemed right." A small smile crossed his face as he remembered that moment. "We then sat there and he told me everything, and I promised to keep his secret."

"They eventually told me, and I said I would help keep the secret, too." Ji chimed in.

"But, your guys' reactions today is precisely why Antonio didn't want you to know. He knew you would turn your back on him. He knew his PACK would turn against him, and you have." Jayden finished, looking to the other four Rangers with an angry expression.

Meanwhile, by the lake in the forest, Antonio stared at his reflection in the water. Liquid gold eyes stared back at him, as if looking into his own soul. He didn't know why he changed in front of everyone. All he knew was that Jayden had been in danger, and his instinct to protect his mate took over. And now everyone else hated him. He only hoped Jayden and Ji would talk them around.

"Well, well, well. What's a little puppy doing all by himself? Your master abandon you?" A taunting voice echoed. It was Serrator, and he emerged from behind a tree and grinned at Antonio. "Poor little puppy. All alone and unwanted…"

Antonio whipped his head around and immediately took a defensive stance, growling lowly and baring his fangs at Serrator. This was something he did not need right now

"Now now. There's no need for that. In fact, I'm going to need your help in getting to those Rangers. After all, they DID turn their backs on you, so don't you want your revenge?" He chuckled evilly.

Antonio didn't waver, but instead growled more intently and crouched low, ready to strike.

"I see. Well, with what I have planned, you won't have much of a choice." Serrator said, grinning and reaching behind him.

Antonio snarled loudly, then charged at Serrator.

Back at the Shiba house, the Rangers were sitting in silence as all the information passed between their minds. It was a lot to process.

"I feel so bad now. We didn't even give him a chance." Mia said softly, feeling guilt clutch at her heart.

"Antonio is our friend. We should have stood by him." Emily sniffled, a few tears escaping her eyes and falling onto her jeans.

"Wolf for not, he is still a Samurai. And he needs us." Mike said, a determined look crossing his face.

Kevin stayed silent a little longer, before jumping to his feet. "We need to find him and apologize. It wasn't right to go against him like that." He said, looking to Jayden with a remoseful expression.

Jayden looked to all his Rangers, and nodded in head in agreement. He rose to his feet and faced them. "I know where he is. Let's go get him back and bring him home."

Suddenly, the Gap Sensor went off, and Ji immediately moved to open the map. "It's Serrator, and he is where you fought that Nighlock earlier." He said, looking up at the Rangers.

Jayden nodded his head and looked to the his team and nodding. "Let's deal with Serrator, then we'll go get Antonio." And with that, the Rangers raced off for fight Serrator.

Serrator was waiting when the Rangers arrived on the scene. "Ah. I'm so happy you finally decided to show up Rangers." He said, flashing them a sickening grin. "I was starting to get a little bored."

"Enough, Serrator! We'll deal with you once and for all!" Jayden said, pointing his Spin Sword at Serrator.

"Ah, but you will not be fighting me, but rather my new pet. He is very eager to meet you, although you have seen him before." Serrator said vaguely, pacing back and forth slowly.

"That Nighlock from before is no match for us!" Mike shouted. "We'll defeat him no problem!"

"I was not referring to him. I was referring to a newly acquired pet. One you all know quite well." Serrator said, turning to gesture to a nearby treeline. "Come to me…Antonio." He said, laughing menacingly.

The five Rangers looked on in horror as Antonio did indeed step out of the treeline, but something was off about him. He moved to Serrator's side, and it was then that the Rangers noticed the spider-like insect attached to his forehead. And in place of liquid gold eyes were glowing red ones. A rather vicious snarl escaped Antonio as he bared his teeth at the Rangers, moving to an offensive position.

At the sight of Antonio, Jayden shakily fell to his knees and he stared at his mate. "Antonio…"


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Notes: _I'm so sorry this has taken me so long to update! I was in the process of moving and didn't have the time or access to internet until very recently. Thank you for your patience.

_Warnings: _Drama, Violence, Language, Slash, AU

_Disclaimer: _I do not own anything Power Rangers and have written this story for fun

_Summary: _Some people were born different. While some lived normal lives and never embraced their secret, others accepted it and lived double-lives. What happens when the animal is set free and the ones you care about just don't understand?

The Rangers couldn't believe what has happened. In a moment of weakness, Antonio was left vulnerable to an ambush. And it was all their fault. They should have never left him or drove him away like that. How were they going to fix this?

"There's nothing you can do for him now." Serrator said, as if reading the Rangers' thoughts. "He is under my control, and I'm not giving him up so easily." He grinned evilly as he reached down and ran his hand over Antonio's head, who leaned into the touch, a rumbling growl erupting from his throat. This action caused something to snap in Jayden.

With a battle cry, he charged Serrator, his Spin Sword held high and ready to strike. He would kill Serrator with his bare hands, if it meant freeing his mate from the mind control he was under. But, as he approached Serrator and brought his sword down to strike, he was knocked back by a powerful force. He landed hard on his side, trying to get his bearing back together. He looked in horror at what had hit him: it was Antonio. Antonio had protected Serrator, and was now glaring at Jayden with glowing red eyes and his Spin Sword in his jaws. He easily tossed it aside and bared his fangs at Jayden.

Serrator began laughing menacingly. "Well, well. It seems like your little friend protected me. And I know you would never attack him, for fear of hurting him. But, at my command, he will have no problem attacking you." He laughed again before nonchalantly wandering around. "Antonio, why don't you show your mate where your loyalties now lie." He pointed at Jayden, who was frozen in pure fear on the ground.

Antonio let out a loud growl, slowly stalking over to Jayden. The Red Ranger tried pleading with him. "Please, Antonio. You have to snap out of it. It's me, Jayden. It's your mate." But his words fell on deaf ears as Antonio continued to come closer. He charged, fangs bared and ready to kill. Before he could reach Jayden, he was hit from the side and knocked away. Immediately, Antonio sprang to his paws and faced the new threat with a snarl and baring of teeth. Jayden also looked over to who had saved him, and was surprised.

It was Kevin, holding his Hydro Bow cocked and ready to fire again. "Jayden! There's no use reasoning with him. We have to find a way to break this spell!" He said, never once turning his gaze from the giant black wolf. He fired his Hydro Bow again when Antonio made a charge at him, but he was again knocked away, this time by Mia's Sky Fan. He got up and made another attempt to attack, but was tossed aside by Mike's Forest Spear. Emily's Earth Slicer pushed Antonio back to Serrator, who was watching in silent amusement. "Come on! We have to go!" Kevin said to Jayden, who nodded numbly and pulled his Samuraizer out and traced the kanji symbol for 'home', causing the five Rangers to vanish.

"Well, that's no fun." Serrator said, looking around to the now empty area. He shrugged his shoulder before turning away. "I'm going back to the Netherworld for now. You go into hiding until; I summon you again." He said to Antonio before disappearing through a Gap. Antonio snorted, then dashed away, obeying his Master's command.

Meanwhile, back at the Shiba house, the Rangers appeared in the living room, where Mentor Ji was waiting for them. "What happened?" He questioned, noticing the bruises Jayden had on him.

"Serrator put Antonio under some kind of spell, and he attacked us." Mike said, gesturing to Jayden who stood unmoving in the living room. He still couldn't get over the fact that his mate had attacked him. Granted, he didn't do it of his own free will, but it still shook him to the core.

"Wait a minute." Emily said, causing everyone to look at her. "Antonio had some kind of spider-like thing on his forehead. That's what must have been controlling him." She moved to the bookshelf and pulled a book off and began thumbing through it. "Aha! Here it is!" She said, showing the picture to Mentor Ji. "This is what it looked like."

Mentor Ji studied it closely. "It's a Nigh-Spider. It's abdomen is filled with Sanzu Water, which when attached to a host, circulates the water within their bodies, taking control over their minds." He said, reading the text. "The only way to break the control is to get close enough to destroy the spider."

"That's easier said than done." Jayden finally said, his voice soft and low. "Antonio won't let us get close to him. And if we did, Serrator would protect him." He said dejectedly, thinking he was never going to get his mate back, or that he'd have to kill him.

Mentor Ji thought for a moment. "Wait…there might be a way to get close enough to him to destroy the spider." He said, causing the five Rangers to look on in surprise. "I'll be back.I need to make a call." He said, disappearing down the hall. The Rangers watched him leave, before Mia moved to Jayden's side. "Come on. Let's go check out out, then we'll get something to eat." And with that, the Rangers all headed iff towards the kitchen.

In his room, Mentor Ji picked up his Samuraizer and flipped it open. He dialed a number and waited fro the person on the other end to answer. "Hello, Hayley. It's Ji." He said, pausing while he was spoken to. "Yes, we have a situation. I need you to contact the 'others' and send them here." He paused again, then continued. "It's important that they get here as soon as possible….thank you." He hung up his Samuraizer and sighed deeply. He only hoped this would work.


	7. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hey, everyone. Death here to say thank you for keeping up with my story, but now I need your help! I'm going to be having different Rangers from different seasons coming in as shifters. Now, what I need from you guys are the Rangers whom you'd like to see. Thrree are so many choices that I can't decide on my own. So, if you guys could PM me with your choices, I'd greatly appreciate it and it will help with my story.

Thanks again, everyone!


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